Massaging device



@et 15, i935. W. E. LEMBRIGHT ET AL 2,017,284

MAS SAGING DEVICE Filed April 16, 1934 ElEml.

IN VEN TOR.

Wl 1 Alb' N ll 1 ffofo WALTER E.. .LEMERBHI ElE. EDK'ER 1 ,PQPE- BY j f f/' ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNIED STATES ATENT OFFICE MASSAGING DEVICE Walter E. Lembright,

This invention relates to improvements in massaging devices.

The principal object of the invention is to produce a device which will create a positive suction 5 within the massaging applicator.

A further object is to produce a device of this character which may be manipulated by hand.

A still further object is to produce a device Which is economical to manufacture, light in weight and simple to use.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

n the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section of our device,

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View of Fig. l,

Fig. 3 is a modied form of the applicator, and

Fig. 4 is an extension.

In massaging, it has been the general practice to employ a rubber cup or applicator which is forcibly brought into contact with the body and drawn away therefrom so as to produce a mas- J saging effect. While this produces a pounding or working of the tissues it does not create any suction, which would tend to bring the blood toward the surface of the skin. Applicants have produced a device which will not only give a 3 massaging elTect but will also draw the blood toward the surface of the skin, thus invigorating the tissues in a benecial marier.

In the accompanying drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of our invention, the numeral 5 designates a rubber massage cup which is mounted upon the base of a cylinder i5. This cup has a threaded opening l' which engages a threaded member 8 mounted upon a nipple 9 which extends through the bottom of the cylinder. fabric lining i E is formed within the cup, the same being porous so that suction may pass therethrough as will be later described. Slidable within the cylinder 6 is a built-up piston l2 which is connected to a guide rod I3 slidable in the reduced portion l!! of a casing l5. A handle il is connected to the casing i6 and has pivoted thereto, as at I8, an auxiliary handle l having a ball connection 2| with the guide West Los Angeles, and Alhambra, Calif.

1934, Serial No. 720,898

(Cl. 12S-38) rod I3. A spring 22 tends to keep these handles il and IQ apart except when forcibly pressed together. The nipple 9 has a port 23 and a port 2e. The port 24 is normally closed by a needle valve 26 moved by a release lever 2l.

The modified form of cup shown in Fig. 3 is of the same construction as the cup 5 with the exception that it is of a different shape. The extension shown in Fig. 4 is employed when it is desired to move the cup further away from the operating mechanism in which event the cup 5 is unscrewed from the threaded member 8 and the extension is screwed thereto after which the cup is screwed to the bottom of the extension.

The operation of our device is as follows:

The applicator is applied to the skin and the handles il and i9 are pressed together. This causes the piston I2 to move away from the bottom of the cylinder thus creating a vacuum which is drawn through the port 23 and through the porous fabric l l, thus causing the vacuum to draw upon the skin of the person being? manipulated upon. When it is desired to release the vacuum, the release handle 21 is actuated thus drawing the needle valve 26 from the port 2d and thus allowing atmospheric pressure to enter the cup.

4It is to be understood that the forms of our invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:-

In a device of the character described, a massage cup, a cylinder connected to said cup, a nipple extending between said cup and said cylinder, ports formed in said nipple, a piston surrounding one of said ports and slidable in said cylinder, means for moving said piston away from said cup to create a vacuum between said p-iston and said cup, and a needle valve closing the other of said ports during the period of vacuum in said device.

WALTER E. LEMBRIGHT. EDKER L. POPE. 

